British Second Army, 11th November 1918

v.1.0 September 2, 2001

Dr. Graham Watson

General Sir Herbert Plumer

Second Army was the most northerly of the British armies in France, and had been part of the Army Group commanded by the King of the Belgians since 26th September.

On 11th November the ten mile front of the Army, between Voorde and Lessines, was occupied by X and XIX Corps, with II Corps and XV Corps in reserve.

ARMY TROOPS

1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade

101 Bn, Machine Gun Corps

104 Bn, Machine Gun Corps

39 Bn MGC

part 43rb Bn Royal Fusiliers

part 44th Bn Royal Fusiliers

C Company, 11th Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

B Company, 16th Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

3rd Bn West Indies Regiment

Second Army Signals

 

II CORPS [Lt General Jacob]

Owing to the contraction of Second Army’s front, II Corps had been withdrawn into reserve on 5th November. The Corps was refittng and reorganising between Comines and Courtrai.

 

V/II Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

2nd Cyclist Battalion (Yorkshire Dragoons)

II Corps Signal Company

 

9th (Scottish) DIVISION [Major General Tudor]

26 Brigade [Brigadier-General Hyslop]

8th Bn Black Watch

7th Bn Seaforth Highlanders

5th Bn Cameron Highlanders

26 Light Trench Mortar Battery

27 Brigade [Brigadier-General Croft]

11th Bn Royal Scots

12th Bn Royal Scots

6th Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers

27 Light Trench Mortar Battery

28 Brigade [Brigadier-General Scrase-Dickens]

2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers

9th Bn Cameronians

1st Royal Newfoundland Regiment

28 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier-General Wainewright]

50 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

51 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

9th Battalion, MGC

9th Bn Seaforth Highlanders (pioneer bn)

63, 64, 90 Field Companies RE

9 Signal Company

 

34th DIVISION [Major General Nicholson]

101 Brigade [Brigadier-General Woodcock]

2/4th Bn Queens Regiment

1/4th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment

2 Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

101 Light Trench Mortar Battery

102 Brigade [Brigadier-General Hilliam]

1/4th Bn Cheshire Regiment

1/7th Bn Cheshire Regiment

1/1st Bn Herefordshire Regiment

102 Light Trench Mortar Battery

103 Brigade [Brigadier-General Rawson]

1/5th Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers

1/8th Bn Cameronians

1/5th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

103 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier-General Waltham]

152 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

160 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

34 Bn, MGC

2/4th Bn Somerset Light Infantry (pioneer bn)

207, 208, 209 Field Companies RE

34 Signal Company

 

XIX CORPS [Lt General Watts]

V/XIX Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

19 Cyclist Battalion

XIX Corps Signal Company

The Corps was the left-hand corps of Second Army with 41st Division on the left and 35th Division in the centre and 31st Division on the right.

 

41st DIVISION [Major General Lawford]

122 Brigade [Brigadier-General Weston]

12th Bn East Surrey Regiment

15th Bn Hampshire Regiment

18th Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps

122 Light Trench Mortar Battery

123 Brigade [Brigadier-General Kemp-Welsh]

11th Bn Queens Regiment

10th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment

23rd Bn Middlesex Regiment

123 Light Trench Mortar Battery

124 Brigade [Brigadier-General Aldercron]

10th Bn Queens Regiment

26th Bn Royal Fusiliers

20th Bn Durham Light Infantry

124 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier-General Cotton]

187 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

190 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

41 Bn MGC

19th Bn Middlesex Regiment (pioneer bn)

228, 233, 237 Field Companies RE

41 Signal Company

 

31st DIVISION [Major General Campbell]

92 Brigade [Brigadier-General Williams]

10th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment

11th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment

11th Bn East Lancashire Regiment

92 Light Trench Mortar Battery

93 Brigade [Brigadier-General Sayth]

15th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment

13th Bn York & Lancaster Regiment

18th Bn Durham Light Infantry

93 Light Trench Mortar Battery

94 Brigade [Brigadier General Symons]

12th Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment

13th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers

24th Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers

94 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Lambert]

165 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

170 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

31 Bn MGC

12th Bn Kings Own Light Infantry (pioneer bn)

210, 211, 223 Field Companies RE

31 Signal Company

 

35th DIVISION [Major General Marinden]

Division transferred from II Corps 3rd November

104 Brigade [Brigadier General Sandilands]

17th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

18th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

19th Bn Durham Light Infantry

104 Light Trench Mortar Battery

105 Brigade [Brigadier General Turner]

15th Bn Cheshire Regiment

15th Bn Sherwood Foresters

4th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment

105 Light Trench Mortar Battery

106 Brigade [Brigadier General Pollard]

17th Bn Royal Scots

12th Bn Highland Light Infantry

18th Bn Highland Light Infantry

106 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Madocks]

157 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

159 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

35 Bn MGC

19th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (pioneer bn)

203, 204, 205 Field Companies RE

35 Signal Company

 

X CORPS [Lt General Stephens]

 

The Corps was on the right of the Second army front with 30th Division on the left and 29th Division on the left.

 

V/X Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

10th Cyclist Battalion

X Corps Signal Company

 

30th DIVISION [Major General Williams]

21 Brigade [Brigadier General Goodman]

7th Bn Royal Irish Regiment

1/6th Bn Cheshire Regiment

2/23rd Bn London Regiment

21 Light Trench Mortar Battery

89 Brigade [Brigadier Currie]

2 Bn South Lancashire Regiment

7/8th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

2/17th Bn London Regiment

89 Light Trench Mortar Battery

90 Brigade [Brigadier General Stevens]

2/14th Bn London Regiment

2/15th Bn London Regiment

2/16th Bn London Regiment

90 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Lambarde]

148 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

149 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

30 Bn MGC

6th Bn South Wales Borderers (pioneer bn)

200, 201, 202 Field Companies RE

30 Signal Company

 

29th DIVISION [Major General Cayley]

86 Brigade [Brigadier General Cheape]

2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers

1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

1st Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers

86 Light Trench Mortar Battery

87 Brigade [Brigadier General Jackson]

2nd Bn South Wales Borderers

1st Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers

1st Bn Border Regiment

87 Light Trench Mortar Battery

88 Brigade [Brigadier General Freyberg VC]

4th Bn Worcestershire Regiment

2nd Bn Royal Hampshire Regiment

2nd Bn Leinster Regiment

88 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Johnson]

15 Brigade RHA: B, L, 1/1 Warwicks, 460 Batteries

17 Brigade RFA: 13 26 92 D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

29 Bn MGC

1/2nd Bn Monmouthshire Regiment (pioneer bn)

455, 497, 510 Field Companies RE

29 Signal Company

 

XV CORPS [Lt General de Lisle]

Owing to the contraction of Second Army’s front, XV Corps halted on the line of the Schelde on 10th November

 

V/XV Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

15th Cyclist Bn

XV Corps Signal Company

 

14th (Light) DIVISION [Major General Skinner]

41 Brigade [Brigadier-General Sweny]

18th Bn York & Lancaster Regiment

29th Bn Durham Light Infantry

33rd Bn Rifle Brigade

41 Light Trench Mortar Battery

42 Brigade [Brigadier General Dobbin]

6th Bn Wiltshire Regiment

16th Bn Manchester Regiment

14th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

42 Light Trench Mortar Battery

43 Brigade [Brigadier General Pereira]

12th Bn Suffolk Regiment

20th Bn Middlesex Regiment

10th Bn Highland Light Infantry

43 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Harding-Newman]

46 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

47 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

14 Bn MGC

15th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (pioneer bn)

61, 62, 89 Field Companies RE

14 Signal Company

 

40th DIVISION [Major General Peyton]

119 Brigade [Brigadier General Crozier]

13th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

13th Bn East Lancashire Regiment

12th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment

119 Light Trench Mortar Battery

120 Brigade [Brigadier General Hore-Ruthven]

10th Bn Kings Own Scottish Borderers

15th Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

11th Bn Cameron Highlanders

120 Light Trench Mortar Battery

121 Brigade [Brigadier General Stubbs]

8th Bn Royal Irish Regiment

23 Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

23rd Bn Cheshire Regiment

121 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Palmer]

178 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

181 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

40 Bn MGC

17th Bn Worcestershire Regiment (pioneer bn)

224, 229, 231 Field Companies RE

40 Signal Company

 

36th (Ulster) DIVISION [Major General Coffin]

Division transferred from X Corps on 9th November

107 Brigade [Brigadier General Brock]

1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles

2nd Bn Royal Irish Rifles

15th Bn Royal Irish Rifles

107 Light Trench Mortar Battery

108 Brigade [Brigadier General Vaughan]

12th Bn Royal Irish Rifles

1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers

9th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers

108 Light Trench Mortar Battery

109 Brigade [Brigadier General Hessey]

1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

2nd Bn Royal Innsikilling Fusiliers

9th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

109 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Hawkes]

153 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

173 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

36 Bn MGC

16th Bn Royal Irish Rifles (pioneer bn)

121, 122, 150 Field Companies RE

36 Signal Company

 

3rd CAVALRY DIVISION [Major General Harmon]

Joined Second Army on 9th November 1918

6 Cavalry Brigade [Brigadier General E Paterson]

3rd Dragoon Guards

Royal Dragoons

10th Hussars

6 Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Sqn

7 Cavalry Brigade [Brigadier General Burt]

6th Inniskilling Dragoons

7th Dragoon Guards

17th Lancers

7 Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Sqn

Canadian Cavalry Brigade [Brigadier General R Paterson]

Royal Canadian Dragoons

Lord Strathcona’s Horse

Fort Garry Horse

Canadian Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Sqn

4 Brigade RHA: C K Cdn Batteries

3 Field Squadron RE

3 Signal Troop

 

SECOND ARMY ARTILLERY [Major General Buckle]

By November 1918 almost all corps artillery had been concentrated at army level.

11 Army Brigade RFA 83 84 85 D Batteries

23 Army Brigade RFA 107 108 C D Batteries

28 Army Brigade RFA A 123 124 65 Batteries

38 Army Brigade RFA A 24 72 D Batteries

64 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

96 Army Brigade RFA 407 408 409 410 Batteries

113 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

119 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

2 Brigade RGA 177 250 352 66 Batteries

3 Brigade RGA 48 112 88 268 152 21 Batteries

4 Brigade RGA 131 2/1NMidland 223 301 261 129 Batteries

6 Brigade RGA 109 114 111 245 227 42 Batteries

10 Brigade RGA 150 159 113 226 Batteries

33 Brigade RGA 31 279 298 221 Batteries

36 Brigade RGA 140 151 155 353 1Aust 2Aust Batteries

43 Brigade RGA 147 190 351 154 Batteries

59 Brigade RGA 37 335 350 30 Batteries

64 Brigade RGA 100 101 102 61 Batteries

65 Brigade RGA 115 202 21 118 Batteries

70 Brigade RGA 282 285 405 151 Batteries

77 Brigade RGA 9 26 116 119 286 191 Batteries

86 Brigade RGA 141 1/1Wx 203 324 Batteries

87 Brigade RGA 154 156 194 219 Batteries

99 Brigade RGA 15 157 217 12 Batteries

HQ 25 Brigade RGA

HQ 72 Brigade RGA

7 Siege Battery RGA (4 x 6"guns)

29 Siege Battery RGA

187 Siege Battery RGA

193 Siege Battery RGA

479 Siege Battery RGA

526 Siege Battery RGA

528 Siege Battery RGA

546 Siege Battery RGA

45 Siege Battery RGA (2 x 9.2" railway guns)

section 53 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 9.2" railway gun)

85 Siege Battery RGA (2 x 12" howitzers)

375 Siege Battery RGA

2 Battery Royal Marine Artillery

22 Siege Battery RGA (2 x 12" railway howitzers)

63 Siege Battery RGA

82 Siege Battery RGA

104 Siege Battery RGA

359 Siege Battery RGA

381 Siege Battery RGA

4 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 15" howitzer)

The Bermuda RGA

H AA Battery RGA

J AA Battery RGA

R AA Battery RGA

T AA Battery RGA

U AA Battery RGA

 

SECOND ARMY ENGINEERS [Major General Glubb]

By November 1918 all corps engineers had been brought under army command.

6 Siege Company R Mon RE

20 Army Troops Company RE

134 Army Troops Company RE

136 Army Troops Company RE

138 Army Troops Company RE

141 Army Troops Company RE

145 Army Troops Company RE

167 Army Troops Company RE

214 Army Troops Company RE

235 Army Troops Company RE

236 Army Troops Company RE

245 Army Troops Company RE

289 Army Troops Company RE

554 Army Troops Company RE

556 Army Troops Company RE

557 Army Troops Company RE

573 Army Troops Company RE

171 Tunnelling Company RE

173 Tunnelling Company RE

184 Tunnelling Company RE

255 Tunnelling Company RE

3 Canadian Tunnelling Company RCE

section, 196 Land Drainage Company RE

354 Electrical & Mechanical Company RE

2 Advanced RE Park

3 Advanced RE Park

10 Advanced RE Park

2 Army Workshop Company RE

4 Field Survey Battalion RE

7 Pontoon Park

220 Transportation (Works) Company RE

AA Searchlight Sections-1 11 24 28 31 40 64

 

 

BACK  to 1914-1918 Contents

 

Copyright 2002-2013 Ravi Rikhye No reproduction without permission